Panthers GameDay v Lightning: How to Watch, Lines, Goalies, Odds

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are both coming off a well-deserved break.

The rest, of course, was needed.

Yet neither coach knows how their team will look when they step out onto the ice tonight in Sunrise.

“This is the wild-card game of the year for all NHL teams,’’ said Paul Maurice, whose team had not been on the ice since Tuesday’s 5-2 comeback win at Carolina before Saturday’s morning skate.

“You get three days off, everybody’s usually very tired, and they need that break. … You just hope, mentally, you can get back into regular season form quickly.’’

The Lightning had an extra day off after beating the Blues at home on Monday night. Because of the NHL travel restrictions, the Lightning made the short flight over from Tampa on Saturday morning then hit the ice at Amerant Bank Arena.

Maurice said that the fact that Florida is playing its biggest rival should help with the mental side of the game. Jon Cooper seemed to agree.

“I think all the guys relish and embrace the three days we get, and we were fortunate this year to get four,’’ Cooper said. “But when you’re not allowed to practice, you go right back into a game — and for us, it’s a back-to-back. We should have energy, but you’re hoping your execution is going to be OK tonight.’’

NOTEBOOK: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS

• Maurice said Mackie Samoskevich will be a gametime decision after missing the past two games with a lower-body injury.
• The Lightning were without forward Scott Sabourin at morning skate due to flight problems after recalling him from AHL Syracuse. If he makes it to South Florida, he is expected to play. 
• Starting Goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky goes for the Panthers; The Lightning have Andrei Vasilevskiy back.
• How to Watch/Stream: The Panthers are on local TV tonight. The game can be streamed at Panthers+ and ESPN+.
• NHL Betting Odds: Tonight’s game is a pick ‘em on the money line. To win with the Panthers or Lightning (-110), a $110 bet pays $100.

ON DECK: GAME No. 37

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Local Betting Odds — Pick ‘em: MoneyLine (-110/-110); Florida Puck Line -1.5 (+200); O/U 5.5 (-130/+105)
• Season Series (Tied 1-1) — At Florida: Lightning 3, Panthers 1 (Nov. 15); Saturday. At Tampa Bay: Panthers 5, Lightning 1 (Dec. 15); Feb. 5
• Last Regular Season: Tied 2-2
• Last Postseason: Florida won 4-1 (Round 1)
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 80-54-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series — Tied 2-2: Lightning won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS; Panthers won 2024, 2025 first-round series

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (20-14-2) LINES

27 Eetu Luostarinen // 15 Anton Lundell // 13 Sam Reinhart

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 9 Sam Bennett // 63 Brad Marchand 

11 Mackie Samoskevich // 17 Evan Rodrigues // 10 A.J. Greer

71 Luke Kunin // 18 Noah Gregor // 70 Jesper Boqvist

42 Gus Forsling // 5 Aaron Ekblad

77 Niko Mikkola // 3 Seth Jones

26 Uvis Balinskis // 2 Jeff Petry

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

40 Daniil Tarasov

Scratched: Donovan Sebrango, Jack Studnicka

Injured: Sasha Barkov (knee), Matthew Tkachuk (lower body), Tomas Nosek (knee), Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), Cole Schwindt (broken arm)

PROJECTED TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (20-13-3) LINES

28 Gage Goncalves // 21 Brayden Point // 86 Nikita Kucherov

59 Jake Guentzel // 71 Anthony Cirelli // 22 Oliver Bjorkstrand

29 Pontus Holmberg // 37 Yanni Gourde // 28 Zemgus Girgensons

42 Curtis Douglas // 62 Jack Finley // 20 Nick Paul

90 J.J. Moser // 43 Darren Raddysh

51 Charle-Edouard D’Astous // 16 Steven Santini

67 Declan Carlile // 24 Max Crozier

88 Andrei Vasilevskiy

31 Jonas Johansson

Scratched: Dominic James, Scott Sabourin

Injured: Ryan McDonagh (lower body), Erik Cernak (undisclosed), Victor Hedman (elbow), Emil Lilleberg (undisclosed), Brandon Hagel (upper body)